Changes Ahead: Psychotherapist Regulation is Coming to BC

The BC government has shared some big news about the regulation of psychotherapists — and we want to make sure you know. This will affect therapists across the province, including many of our KATI alumni, so let’s break it down.

Key dates to note:

April 1, 2026 – The Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) comes into force.
November 29, 2027 – Psychotherapist regulation officially begins.

That gives everyone over two years to prepare — which is intentional. The government wants this transition to be thoughtful and smooth.

What’s actually changing?

Psychotherapists will fall under the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC). You can check out their website here: https://chcpbc.org/. There isn’t specific information about psychotherapists posted yet, but you can see how the college is structured (maybe peek at how psychologists are set up — that’s a good preview).

“Psychotherapist” will become a protected title

Starting November 29, 2027, you won’t be able to call yourself a psychotherapist unless you’re registered with the new college.

This could actually be a good thing for many art therapists and other practitioners who prefer to remain non-regulated — as long as you don’t use the title, you can likely keep practicing.
This is similar to what’s happening in New Brunswick, where “counselling therapist” is a protected title.
Ontario takes a different approach and regulates the act of psychotherapy itself, which is more restrictive.

What’s still unknown?

We don’t yet know education requirements or which therapy approaches will qualify for registration.
No word yet on a grandparenting process for current therapists (although other provinces usually have one).
Fees, applications, and timelines haven’t been announced.

The Ministry of Health has told us they want feedback, and both KATI and FACTBC will continue advocating for a competency-based model that welcomes a variety of therapeutic modalities — similar to how Ontario’s CRPO does it.

How you can prepare

Here’s what we recommend for anyone practicing in BC:

Sign up for FACTBC updates: https://factbc.org/
- This is the easiest way to stay informed. You’ll get notices about key deadlines (especially if there’s a grandparenting phase).
Join a professional association.
- Membership may help if there’s an expedited registration process for existing therapists. FACTBC lists member associations (including CATA and BCATA), and organizations like CCPA and BCACC are also working alongside government on these changes.
Stay connected with us.
- Got questions? Contact Nicole Le Bihan at nlebihan@kutenaiarttherapy.com. We’re keeping a close eye on developments and will keep you updated.